Sam Raimi adapts assassin-girl anime Noir for Starz

Filmmaker Sam Raimi, along with producing partner Rob Tapert, continues splitting time between star-packed big-budget movies (like the upcoming OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL) and cinematic fare for the small screen.

Revisiting the action-girl genre where they made "Xena" a cheesy sensation (and "Cleopatra 2525" to a lesser extent), Raimi and Tapert are heading to Starz with a live-action version of the anime "Noir", about two sexy female assassins piecing together their own mysterious pasts and contending with a centuries-old clandestine organization that wants to control destiny.

The cable network has pulled the trigger on a season of the new series, which shouldn't be surprising after the success of Raimi/Tapert's ludicrous, hyper-stylized "Spartacus" ("Blood and Sand" and the prequel "Gods of the Arena").

The series is just gathering writers now, so it likely won't hit your TV until later next year. But if "Noir" is anywhere near as wildly gratuitous and deliriously entertaining as "Spartacus", I know I'll be tuning in every week.

Extra Tidbit:

Has anyone seen the original "Noir" anime series? Any good? Or at least a decent foundation for a live-action show?